Cormorant Island facts for kids
 Cormorant Island
Location in Antarctica
Location in Antarctica
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| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Antarctica |
| Coordinates | 64°48′S 63°58′W / 64.800°S 63.967°W |
| Archipelago | Palmer Archipelago |
| Administration | |
| Administered under the Antarctic Treaty System | |
| Demographics | |
| Population | Uninhabited |
Cormorant Island is a small island in Antarctica. It is about 10 hectares in size. That's like 10 football fields!
The island is located in the Bismarck Strait. It is about 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) south of Anvers Island. It is also about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) east-south-east of Bonaparte Point. Cormorant Island is part of the Palmer Archipelago.
This island is about 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) south-east of Palmer Station. Palmer Station is a science research base for the United States. It is located in Arthur Harbour on Anvers Island.
An Argentine government map first showed the island in 1954. But it did not have a name yet. In 1958, the United Kingdom Antarctic Place-names Committee (UK-APC) named it. They chose the name "Cormorant Island" because they saw many cormorant birds there. Cormorants are also known as shags.
Contents
Important Bird Area
Cormorant Island is a very special place for birds. BirdLife International has named it an Important Bird Area (IBA). This means it is a key spot for bird conservation.
Why is it Important?
The island is home to a large bird colony. More than 700 pairs of Antarctic shags live and breed here. This is one of the biggest shag colonies in the Antarctic Peninsula area.
Other Birds on the Island
Besides shags, other birds also nest on Cormorant Island. These include Adélie penguins. You can also find southern giant petrels here.
Protecting the Birds
To keep the birds safe, Cormorant Island is a "Restricted Zone." This zone is part of a bigger plan called ASMA 7. ASMA stands for Antarctic Specially Managed Area. This plan helps protect the area around Southwest Anvers Island and Palmer Basin. The Restricted Zone includes the island itself. It also covers the ocean area up to 50 meters (164 feet) from the shoreline. This helps protect the birds and their homes from disturbance.
See also
In Spanish: Isla Cormorant para niños
